Wild Clover End Of Summer News

Lots of news to report! The end of a huge project, exciting launch of new services, looking back, the present moment, and looking forward! Read on…

THE END OF A HUGE PROJECT
It is the end of Summer here in the Midwest of the US, and here I am to update you on all the news here at Wild Clover. I have been absent from my posts both here and at the Recipe For A Green Life blog. The reason? Last week saw the completion of the second edition of my book, Recipe For A Green Life: A Holistic Sustainable Living Handbook & Recipe Book, written by me, edited by Charish Badzinski (who also wrote an amazing Foreword), and published by Wild Clover Press. For those who don’t know about this, or are confused, here is the genesis of this huge project, summarized:

January 2016 — I wrote and released a draft publication called, A Green Lifestyle Recipe Book (paperback, 5.5×8.5, 135 pages, ISBN: 978-0-692-58700-3).

Shortly after that was published, I found an amazing editor to take that draft publication to the next level.

May of 2017 — Recipe For A Green Life was published (paperback, 7×10, first edition, 470 pages, ISBN: 978-0-692-79614-6).

After the paperback was published I pursued getting it into E-book format. There were a lot of challenges to that, (a year’s worth) which I won’t get into here, but that led to the next big step…

May of 2018 — Recipe For A Green Life: A Holistic Sustainable Living Handbook & Recipe Book premiered as a second edition (to the former 2017 first edition) in E-book format.

That was the biggest, most demanding project I have ever worked on! 10s of thousands of hours went into it, over-time without pay, and many things I have passion to do went on the back burner for so long. Making note of these facts, I looked at this book that has been the result–what I accomplished from all that sacrifice and hard work, and I feel it was well worth it! It has been pure joy and relief to be done with the writing, research, editing, formatting, and publishing for just that one thing. Saying I am really pleased with the final outcome and what the book has become is an understatement! 🙂

Photo by CS Sherin. Roses, Seattle WA, 2016.

What’s New!

Later this Fall, I will be adding photography and art by my husband and me to our Etsy shop, Wild Clover Designs. We are eager to get to it! My husband, Jeff, is a musician and artist. His art is very often some form of collage, and he is inspired by retro designs and fringe art approaches, like Dada-ism. It will be interesting!

Me and my husband next to some really great street art in Oak Park, IL. August 2018. Photo by: Samara Sherin

THE PRESENT MOMENT
The present moment is all we ever have. Today is all we ever have. We don’t ever have the past or the future. They are both alive to some extent in our thoughts and being, but what we really truly have is now. And what is happening now. Not what we know is happening in the world in different places. What is happening now for you, around you, to you. That is all there is to be with and deal with. If you have power and mobility to do something for someone else now, and you have the energy and resources to, then your present moment includes a longer reach than many.

For many of us, the present moment is breathing, being, and responding to what is in the space around us in the best ways possible. For some that knowing is a relief. For some that knowing is a full plate of work to do. The present moment asks for us to contribute our most precious and valuable currency–our presence. Being present is to place your attention/being/energy in one place–awake and there. What are you giving that currency, your presence, to? Yourself, loved ones, friends, clients, animal companions, nature, your phone, or…something else? The best we can do is refresh ourselves and our presence in each today and present moment, so that we are able to contribute that precious currency in the best and most important ways. Sometimes all we have energy for is a meal and a nap. We are animals too. We human animals have to find a balance of need, want, creating, and being.

For those who depend on us, we have added responsibility to remember to be present at important times. The gift of pure presence is that it is not just our thoughts, not just our feelings, not just our body. It is all of those, and none of those dominating. Presence is without judgement, but it is aware. Presence is without overt emotions, but it is compassionate. Presence is the body being there, being totally there–without a wandering mind, or split attention, or body language that shuts others out. Being present can bring about amazing things without any wisdom uttered, or questions asked. Being truly present can be healing for self and others. The heart and mind work together. The body is listened to and becomes a beacon of energy presence. Stopping unrestrained thoughts in favor of making space to be and breathe, makes room for Goodness to happen. I bring this up, because as I tell you all the news, I call to mind what is most important. I do know this news I am telling you is important too. But, in the deepest of ways, in these times that numb the mind, bear down on the spirit, and break the heart, this paragraph is key. Well, the present moment and good humor. I always like to remember humor, and music, and movement. If you were to ask me, Chandra, what do you feel are the highest forms of creative expression for a human, I would say I want to limit the answer to the arts, and say: certain kinds of humor, comedy and comedians; some forms of dance; some forms of music. The right forms of those have the power to free us, in all the right ways.

Art by Wm. Morris, 1860-66, PD.

LOOKING FORWARDWe look forward to plan, to build, to dream, to meet, to move forward. Looking forward, as long as we are not obsessed, is natural and fine, just like looking to the past. In fact, understanding and remembering the past is essential to moving forward into the future in the best ways. We don’t want to get stuck in the past, or be on a repeating loop of unfortunate patterns on into the future. We do need to make new and different choices. We need to take well-thought out and reasonable risks, we need to make sure that we don’t keep repeating what is comfortable and familiar, just because it is that. At this time we are being called to remember, learn, be, move forward, and do and create something new. Each moment is new and depending on us to be true to who we are, and to trust the flow of being and creating. Looking forward can be like seeds we plant for our best hopes and goals. I am looking forward to how we can solve our biggest challenges, and stand up for kindness, equity, peace, health, and common decency. I know we can. Certainly now is the time to speak up, act, and do all that each of us can, each in our own best ways.

Thank you for checking in, do look around when you have time, and stay tuned for more fun and good things to come.

2 Comments on “Wild Clover End Of Summer News”

Chan,
I’m very excited about the new edition of your book and can’t wait to see it. What a labor of love and passion. I’m greatful for your healing work to be out in the universe.
In friendship and gratitude, Kathy